


Daphne

by yasminakohl



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: Bisexual Steve Rogers, Bisexual Tony Stark, Hermaphrodites, M/M, No he really needs a hug!, Original Character(s), Other, Protective Steve Rogers, Protective Tony Stark, Steve Needs a Hug, Steve Rogers Feels, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, there is no cheating
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-29
Updated: 2017-07-29
Packaged: 2018-12-08 08:50:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 13,680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11643105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yasminakohl/pseuds/yasminakohl
Summary: Steve meets a girl he's drawn to.But he loves Tony.But Tony is a shit and nudges Steve towards the girl anyways.The the rift, and sky whales and Tony's MIA for a couple weeks.NOT A CHEATING STORY!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So I've been playing with Daphne for years. She'd make me crazy until I wrote four or five pages then all the sudden she'd run the fuck off and I wouldn't touch her for months. This is set after New York but well before Winter Solider and no where near any of the Iron Mans.
> 
> Hope you like Daphne, and can be as loving as Steve is. Maybe not as loving as he's going to get but you understand.
> 
> If you don't like this kind of story why the EVER LOVING FUCK WOULD YOU CLICK ON A STORY WITH THIS KIND OF TAGS?

Steve stood in line at the coffee shop for ten minutes. It was silly really, there were dozens of coffee shops around the tower, there was even two in the tower, but this one sold a crumpet that always reminded him of Peggy and he was feeling nostalgic.

Finally, there was only two people in front of him, he watched as a tall blonde woman turned from the counter and stumble, her ankle rolling in her heels. He reached out and grabbed her arm, then wore half of her cup of coffee. Steve hissed as the hot liquid poured over his arm, splashing his leg and chest. 

The woman righted herself, immediately starting to apologize, "Oh my god. I'm soooo sorry. I... oh these stupid heels. I don't know what I was…" She stopped stammering and took a towel from a barista, “Thank you.” She dropped down to Steve, who was still kneeling, started to dab at the spilt coffee on Steve's arm.

Steve smiled and put his hand over hers. “Its fine ma'am. I'm fine. See not even red,” Steve pointed out, hoping to make her feel better. He finally looked at her face and lost his breath. She was beautiful in a completely nontraditional way, for both his time and this one. 

 

She was almost ethereal. Her eyes were such a light blue they almost looked white, her skin was so very pale and not a single freckle to be seen. She looked like she was made of the finest alabaster.

Steve stood up finally, the woman rising with him. He noticed that she was the same height as him with her heels, then she started to wobble again. He quickly reached out and picked her up, a gasp of surprise escaping before he set her in the nearest chair, when he turned to the counter he saw the barista waiting for him, holding his spot in line open. "Stay here, please? I think you might need a hand 'til you get where you're going."

Steve turned back and placed his order and asked for another cup of what the girl had ordered.

Steve turned back and found the woman gone, looking around he found her walking towards the back of the shop and dropping into the booth. He raised an eyebrow turning back once again to the barista. Then he felt a pair of hands slip around his chest. He stilled for a bare second until he recognized the small round metal pressed into his back.

"Steve found a cute girl." 

“No, I found a girl who doesn't know how to walk in heels without trying to break her neck."

"Uh huh."

Steve picked up their drinks as soon as the one he had added for Tony was ready, turning he said, "Come on let's see how loudly she screams when she meets you."

Tony smiled and put out a hand indicating Steve should go first.

Steve shook his head, a smirk on his lips, Tony only wanted him to go first so he could stare at his ass. He, literally, wasn't born yesterday. Steve took two steps before he heard; "She's still cute."

"I don't think cute is the right term to describe her, Tony."

Just before the table Tony answered, "Uh huh," then he stepped around Steve to sit in the corner of the booth and looked back at Steve, “Hmm, no your right. That's not the right word."

The woman's eyebrows raised but she didn't say anything, for a moment she only watched Steve sitting next to Tony.

"Are you all right miss?"

She nodded, took a drink of the coffee he had set in front of her before she spoke again, "I'm sorry about tripping, I never wear heels."

Tony nodded smiling, "With your height you don't need them."

She ducked her head down hiding as her hair fell forward, “No, I suppose not."

"So what is your name?" Steve asked. 

"Daphne." 

“Steve,” he said pointing to himself, then to Tony, “and Tony.”

Tony did his biggest best almost sincere media smile and then let it fall when Daphne nodded but didn't react. He turned to Steve with a confused look.

“Uh I'm guessing I'm supposed to know who you are?” Daphne asked.

“Well, he is…well not to give him a swelled head or anything, because he already has that, but he is pretty famous. Not many people don't know who he is,” Steve rambled, Tony shook his head and drank his coffee with a smirk.

“Oh.”

“So where are you from?” Tony watched the girl jump and go statue still.

“Uh, kind of allover but not really anywhere,” The conversation stalled and after a few minutes Daphne was struggling to get out of the booth. She gave up and kicked her heels off, scooping them up and squeaked, “Thank you for the coffee and the help. Good Bye.”

Steve scrambled out after her and caught her at the door after dodging every patron in the shop. “Let us give you a ride. It's not very safe to walk around New York barefoot.” He said looking down at her adorable feet with toenails painted with a black version of a French manicure

“No really it's okay. I'll be fine.”

“Please let us, if you don't he's just going to fret. And I do mean fret, like a little 97 year old woman.” Tony said from behind Steve.

Steve whirled and gave Tony the look, the one that said, 'I'm going to kill you later for the age joke'.

“No. I'll just wear them to the nearest shoe store.”  
“How did you even walk here in them?” Tony asked the question, she couldn't walk from one end of a coffee shop to the other.

“I went very slowly. I'll be slow now. I'm fine. I need to go.” Daphne timed her exit well, Steve reached for her again but was cut off by a classroom of 8th graders, filling in with five very frazzled looking chaperons. Steve dropped his head and let the woman go, hoping she didn't get hurt. 

“Uh yeah I got this.” Tony said pushing his way to the counter, “Field trip drinks on Tony Stark.”

The whole building cheered, the chaperons to exhausted, merely smiled and put wallets back in purses and pockets.

Steve stepped out of the shop and futilely looked both directions down the sidewalk. Sighing he walked a few feet away and leaned against the brick of the building and waited for Tony.

It was about fifteen minutes later when Tony bumped Steve's elbow. “What was that about?”

Steve shrugged. That was what he had been trying to figure out while he waited. “Not sure, she just seemed as lost as I am.”

“Ah kindred spirit thing. Got it.”

“I know we are…” Steve stopped, they slept together, goofed around together, and just generally lived in each other's space, but … 

“Steve, I'm not jealous. We're good. If you want to anything with Daphne or any other person in the universe, its fine.”

Steve shook his head, “I like what we have. I'm not looking to change it. I can think someone is beautiful and not sleep with them Tony.” Steve's tone implying he could do what Tony couldn't.

Tony got the tone and acted wounded, but let the comment go; genius, playboy, billionaire, philanthropist, was a thing for a reason.

Tony wrapped an arm around Steve's shoulders and dragged him down the sidewalk towards the tower. There were looks as they walked but no one dared to say a word. Iron Man and Captain America could have a bro-mance in public. 

The pair made it back to the tower and to Tony's lab before kissing each other. Tony knew Steve would have to show him he still wanted him. It had happened a few times, Steve showed interest in someone and Tony saw. Steve would do everything for a week to prove to Tony that he was still his. 

Tony had to laugh, Steve felt guilty for looking and maybe having a fleeting thought. He was the most faithful lover Tony had ever had next to Pepper. Some days the proving was great, but other days it made Tony feel two feet tall for letting it happen at all.

This was one of the two feet tall days, but from experience Tony let Steve make love to him for hours. It would burn out faster this way, and hey who was he to pass up hours of sex with Steve Rogers?

Tony let Steve push him into the lab, against the blacked out windows. Tony let him kiss him until he felt like the asthmatic. Tony let him suck his cock until he almost came over and over again while stretching him to take Steve's cock. Then Tony let Steve drag him back from the brink for hours before he begged Steve to let him come already, hours of Steve playing Tony's body like a master musician. Then when he finally came, it was so intense he screamed himself horse and passed out.

Then when he came to a half hour later, it was to Steve curled around him with a soft snore in his ear. More experience had taught him, that if he moved now Steve would wake up. He waited until the snoring stopped and then got up. He walked to the shower in his lab and cleaned up. Drying off, he changed into spare clothes JARVIS kept for him here and grabbed a wash cloth to clean up Steve. He would eventually use the shower to but on days like this he would drag it out. 

Steve had some odd peccadillos when it came to self-flagellation. If he was punishing himself he would stay dirty as long as possible, as if he wasn't good enough to be clean. It was one of the many mysteries that Tony had found about Steve but had yet to crack.

Tony leaned against the window casing closest to the bed where Steve slept, he watched the man for a good ten minutes before he stirred. That in its self was rare, usually Tony might get two minutes, tops, in any situation to watch Steve sleep. Steve had lived through a war and everything that entailed; snipers, Nazi patrols, and so much more.  
He sat up and looked for Tony. Tony walked to him and knelt over his lap. “Stop torturing yourself.”

“Uh since when did sex with you become torture?”

“Since you use it every time you think someone is beautiful. You don't sleep with them, you sleep with me, and do it in such a manner that I know you're apologizing for something you haven't done... so.”

Steve stilled and nodded.

“I love you, you love me. As for everything else,” Tony shrugged. “If this stays, fine, if not than it was good while it was.”

Steve felt his heart clench in his chest. He hadn't really had a thought about Daphne other than the woman looked like she would break her neck and really needed a friend.

He pulled Tony down into a kiss, keeping it light and playful. When he felt the muscles in Tony's back relax he broke the kiss. “I do love you, and I don't want anything to change. I don't mean to “torture” you with my insecurities.”

“Trust me, it is a torture I have no problems enduring for you. Just know that it's not needed.”

The rest of the day went on as usual. Steve trained with Natasha and Clint. Thor trounced him and Bruce made lunch which Steve took to Tony in his lab. 

Steve sketched or tried to, but his mind wasn't in the right place. He threw his sketch pad to the side and walked over to Tony. He dropped a kiss on the shorter man's head, "I'm gonna go for a run. Want to trail along behind?" The grin on Steve's face was lopsided.

Tony elbowed him in the ribs softly. "No, I've got to finish this for Pepper or she's going to come down here and go all Extremis on me."

"Tony you said you fixed her?!" Steve smacked Tony's arm.

"Ack Abuse...spou...Uh team mate abuse. And I did but she can still explode at me." Tony absently rubbed the spot Steve had hit.

Steve stopped at the aborted spousal abuse comment, but let Tony drop it, not knowing if he meant it as joke, misspoke, or had other thoughts about their relationship he wasn't ready to share yet. They had never even gotten around to saying they loved each other.

“All right I'll see you in time for dinner. And you will be at the table Tony. I'm not bringing it down to you. If I need to write you a note to give to Pepper, I will.” Steve was already out of the lab before Tony squeaked with indignation at the idea that he needed a note for Pepper for not getting something done on time. Then let it slide away, it might be fun just to see the look on her face. Although he never got anything done for her on time. Well, it was done on time, it was just Tony-time.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve finds Daphne  
> The team finds out about Steve and Tony

Steve changed clothes, putting in his ridiculously expensive headphones Tony demanded he get fitted for. He secretly loved them and there was the possibility he would start a small deathless war if they ever came up missing. They were that comfortable.

He started out with the intent to run his usual route but found himself running past the coffee shop and looking at every long haired blonde's face he passed. He made it to Central Park before he paused to take in the beauty of the city around him.

He saw a flash of blond hair across the lake from him and knew it was Daphne. The clothes were the same and the body shape and height were right. He immediately saw red when he saw the group of seven men following her, talking quietly to each other, their faces never turning from her.

Steve bolted across the bridge and around the foot path, careful not to knock anyone over in his haste to stop the group from whatever they were planning.

He raced past them and pulled up short behind her, calling out “Daphne, there you are dear. I've been looking all over the park for you. I thought we were going to meet by the fountain?” Steve leaned in like he was going to kiss her cheek, instead whispered, “There are 7 men following you.”

She went stiff for a moment then smiled, “Oh it was just too nice of a day not to take a stroll. And I needed to break in my new shoes.” She offered, lifting her pant leg slightly, showing the tops of her cute but sensible shoe.

“Should we head home before your sister calls John's precinct out on us?”

He knew he was pushing it but he wasn't quite ready to read the headline of CAPTAIN AMERICA ATTACKS SEVEN IN CENTRAL PARK. The media would never side with him now that S.H.I.E.L.D. had been dismantled; by him. Steve slipped an arm around her shoulder hoping it portrayed a comfort and relationship that didn't exist. He briefly thought about really kissing her as Tasha had done to him in the mall when they were trying to get away from HYDRA.

He heard the groups footsteps change directions, he kept his arm around Daphne for about half the length the lake before he looked back and found no trace of the bunch.

He stopped and stepped away, “I'm sorry. I saw that group of men following you and worried.”

Daphne shook her head, “Thank you for saving me again.”

“Well, uh, no problem. I was just in the area.”

“So why were you in the area?” Daphne asked, no one had ever come to her aid, let alone the same person twice in one day.

“This is on my usual running route. Well, not this side of the lake but I saw you and …” Steve shrugged. He still wasn't very good at talking to dames.

“Uh huh. Well, thank you, I'll take the bus back to my place and try to stay out of trouble.” Daphne started to turn away from Steve but he caught her elbow. 

“Will you please let me accompany you? I really would feel better knowing you got to your door safely.”

“I appreciate the offer but I'll be fine. I've been taking care of myself for a long time. I just seem to be having an off day. And I do have pepper spray,” she offered pulling a can from her bag.

“Maybe, don't put it away until your home?” Steve offered. He had a bad feeling he couldn't shake about Daphne, something was making his hair on the back of his neck stand up like it did before he went into battle. 

Daphne smiled and bowed her head in agreement. “Thank you Steve.” She walked down a well-traveled path, disappearing into the people. 

Still not able to shake the feeling, Steve followed, trying to blend in. He knew it was likely if she looked back she would see him, but she never did.  
He watched her get on the bus and followed it. It wasn't hard, with the exception of dodging the occasional New York cabby. He paused at each stop to see where she disembarked. When she finally did, he noted the stop and waited to see where she would go from there. He hung back and watched her enter a building five doors up from the bus stop.

Waiting about five minutes Steve jogged slowly pass the building and found it a nondescript, no named building with a dower looking doorman. At least she had that. He took note of the address and would have JARVIS run it when he got home.

He put on a little speed when he finally saw what time it was. He had admonished Tony about being at the table for diner and here, he might be late.

He made it with three minutes to spare, he took the stairs up and jumped in the shower, reverting to his military days, he was out in just over a minute and dressed in jeans and a shirt in the next. He took the elevator down to the communal floor and walked in just as Tony got off his elevator from the lab.

“And you didn't even have to nag me.” Tony offered. 

Steve took the three steps to Tony and kissed him. “Thank you.”

Tony grabbed Steve's wrist keeping him from entering the dining room,  
“What?”

Steve shook his head, “What what?”

“You kissed me.”

“Tony, I kiss you all the time.”

“My room, your room, the elevator, the lab. Never anywhere else.”

Steve shrugged, “Well, I can take it back if you want me to.”

“Are you saying you want to tell the others?” That had been the reason they had kept their affection to those spaces, no one was apt to see.

“Maybe, the team is made up of two master assassin spies, a god and a scientist who makes his living observing things. They probably have a clue,” Steve rationalized.

Tony shrugged, “I never had a problem with it.”

“I know, it was me. I wasn't ready to talk about it. Heck I had a hard enough time talking to you about it and you were directly involved.”

Tony nodded in understanding. Steve had bumbled his way through a very red faced conversation about the butterflies that had taken up residence in his stomach ever time Tony was around him. He knew what it meant but had no idea what to do with that knowledge or if there was even anything to be done about it.

Tony surprised the hell out of the super solider by walking him backwards to the nearest wall and kissing him into next week.

That had been a year ago.

It wasn't so much that they were hiding anything, they just weren't advertising it.

Steve looked down at their hands, Tony's still on his wrist, he turned his hand and slipped it up until their palms met, then he curled his fingers into Tony's and squeezed lightly. His heart rate sped up and his stomach clenched, those butterflies from so long ago now turning to acid.

He turned and walked into the dining room, not letting go of Tony. They almost made it to the table before Thor looked up and saw their hands. He turned to Clint, and slapped him on the back with the back of his hand, trying to get the archers attention. He turned and looked where Thor was pointing and sighed in defeat, he pulled out his wallet and handed Thor a hundred dollar bill.

Bruce spotted them and repeated the Thor's motions with Natasha. Only Natasha cursed in Russian then said, "My wallet's in my room."

Tony looked up at Steve and chuckled shaking his head, "So much for your master assassins."

"Not mine,” Tony quipped.

“Yeah, looks like just Tony's." Clint grumbled setting the last plate down. 

"How long?" Steve asked.

"How long have we had the bet or how long since we noticed?"

Steve shrugged, he wonder about both.

Thor answered this time, "Clint laid the wager with me almost eight months ago. He did not think you would give into your infatuation for the Man of Iron."

"I just figured it would take you a lot more time for you to shift ideas..." Clint let his words drop off.

"Tasha?" Tony asked so many questions with just the name. 

"I knew you had gotten together. I made a bad call on that you would still be together. Figured Tony would have driven you crazy by now."

Steve laughed, "Which time? So we're okay?"

No one said anything just smiled at the pair. Bruce pointed to the chairs, "Sit down and eat, before Tony disappears back into the lab."


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rifts, Sky Whales, and other shit Steve doesn't want to deal with

The conversation ebbed and flowed as the six friends ate. It was movie night and Thor's turn to pick. He was trying to decide if he wanted to watch Point Break or Wizard of Oz. He had finally decided he wanted to understand the references Tony had made on the hellocarrier. 

"If timeframe matters, Point Break is from the 90's and will look like now. Wizard of Oz is from the 40's and could have parts that look a little like Asgard." Tony offered.

"'39 actually." Steve pointed out.

"You're going to argue months?" Tony smiled.

"No just pointing out."

"I will pick the Oz. I want to see how you perceive Asgard to appear."  
The witch was melting when JARVIS set off the alarm for them to assemble. 

"Pause the movie JARVIS and tell us what we've got."

"A large rift in the space above East Harlem."

Steve head snapped up, "East Harlem?"

"Steve?" Tony asked, worry in his voice.

"On my run, I saw Daphne, a bunch of guys were following her. I got her away but followed her back to her apartment to make sure they didn't pick up her trail again. It was on the edge of East Harlem."

"Got it. We'll watch for her." Tony said heading to the elevator. "I'll meet you there."

As The Avengers gathered near East Harlem, people running past them fleeing the anomaly above. 

Tony looked at Bruce, he was looking a little green but not Hulk green, to listen the mood he said, “Try not to break it again.”

Bruce gave a half chuckle, "Can't promise anything."

“Cap, any chance you've seen your friend?" Barton asked as Tony set him down on the tallest building nearby. 

"No. She may have left before we even arrived."

"And it's not like he can go knock on her door. He stalked her." Tony quipped.

"I did not. I just ensured she got home all right." 

"Brothers and sister, I have never seen the likes of this before. However the stars that are visible are known to me. They are the summer stars of Vanaheim."

"Uh are we on Vanna White detail?" Tony asked stopping in midair, hands on his hips.

Steve sighed and dropped his head to his chest, "Stark," he growled.

"What? It's what he said." Tony lifted a hand in Thor's direction.

"No he said Vanaheim." Bruce corrected before Steve could kill Stark, afraid their first fight after coming out to the team might be their last.

"Vanaheim is the home of some of Thor's cousins, ” Steve asked, verifying what he thought he knew.

"They are kin and shield brothers, yes." 

"Freya, her brother Freyr,” Steve said. After meeting Thor, he thought it might not be a bad idea to read up on Asgradians, in case Loki wasn't the only one he met.

"So friendly?" Barton asked, his eyes still not leaving the rift.

"Perhaps, but I fear not. No Vanir would create such an opening to travel to Midgard."

"Hey a guy can dream." Barton quipped.

“Barton, you do not get to have the hots for Thor's cousins. There's ohana and then there's creepy cousin stalker."

"Ohana? I am unfamiliar with this term." Thor dropped next to Steve.  
Steve shrugged as well.

“All right new movie for culturally impaired twins. Lilo and Stitch."

“Tony, could you be serious for five seconds?" Bruce asked.

"I am serious and Barton started it."

The archer in question didn't say a word. He knew what Tony was doing, they all did. He was distracting them from the wait of impending doom.

"JARVIS, do you have anything?" Tony asked on open comms so everyone could hear the response. 

“Possibly Sir, I have a faint radiation signature emanating from the rift. However not having any data on Vanaheim, I cannot say as to whether it is appropriate."

"What kind JARVIS?" Bruce asked.

"Similar to Loki's staff."

Barton took about ten steps back after hearing that. “Yeah, been there, done that, and all I got were the creepy blue eyes."

"That is not as it should be. Loki's staff came from a realm outside of the nine." Thor explained.

"Well shit." Stark wined, "Are we back to the Chitauri?"

"I cannot answer Man of Iron."

They waited almost ten minutes before anything emerged from the rift. When it did it was a small version of the sky whales that had carried hundreds of the Chitauri before. All of the Avengers groaned. The rift was open and they knew of no way to close it.  
Tony tipped his helmet towards Thor, “Uh I pick Thor for the missile run this time. I think he might stand a better chance at getting picked up on the other side."

"Tony he can't breathe in the vacuum of space any better than the rest of us." Steve sighed.

"Was worth a shot. And I know I'm the only one who can."

"I will not let you sacrifice yourself, brother."

“Thor, it really was a joke. There's no more council to screw with Fury."  
The sky whale was only a fraction of the size of the original ones, closer to the size of an Earth whale, it floated around the clouds, not doing anything menacing, just floating.

"Uh guys, is it lost?" Tony asked hovering about a quarter mile from it.

"Can you try and, I don't know, herd it back into the rift?" Steve asked, a hopeful tone in his voice.

"And to think I left my sky whale crook in my other suit. Just figures, don't it." Tony let the sarcasm fly and he was moving closer to the creature. "How the hell do you herd something in four dimensions?"

"Carefully?" Clint offered.

"No comments from the peanut gallery, Legolas." 

“All right, enough chatter." Steve said trying regain some control of the situation, bizarre as it was.

"Thor do you think you can help him?"

"Mayhap's, Captain,” Thor swung Mjolnir and took off towards Tony.  
The pair tried for about ten minutes to get the creature to go back towards the rift but it always veered away before they could get it to go in.

"I don't want to shoot it, it hasn't done anything. Thor see if you can distract it, Tony can you see if it has any Chitauri, or weapons or anything that would indicate it's dangerous."

Thor flirted around its face keeping its eyes on him while Tony flew a spiral pattern around it, before hovering under it on his back while it flew over him.

"Cap this thing is shiny new. I'm guessing there's a very pissed mama out there missing a run-a-way calf. There is not a scrape, scratch, or even scarp of armor on this thing. The only dangerous thing about this thing is its size and, well maybe its appetite."

"Come again?" Steve asked.

Tony landed next to Steve. "We don't know what it eats. It could be fine, but if it eats protein and we're on the menu, that's going to be a problem."

"Understood."

Tony sighed over the comms, "Thor, what are the chances you're wrong about those stars and that isn't Vannaheim?"

"Very little,” Thor dropped in front of Tony.

"And the chances of me making it someplace safe if I go through that? Or my chances of coming back if that thing closes on me?" Tony flipped up his faceplate, turning towards Steve.

"Anthony, no you must remain here with the Captain."

"I'm the only one who can go into space. The only reason I haven't tried it here was because I would cook going through the ozone. I'm not doing that, I'm teleporting." Tony shrugged, still looking at Steve. They were in public, media all around them. He didn't care if he kissed Steve in front of all those people and cameras but Steve wasn't ready for that.

But before he could ignite his thrusters, Natasha was pulling them into a building away from the windows. The fact that both men let her pull them was an interesting fact. In the tiny kitchen, of what turned out to be a soul food cafe, Steve pulled Tony close. For once he didn't have to check his strength. “Tony, we'll find another way."

"No we won't. I'll be back. Might need a ride from Thor or his dad or someone, but I'll be back. Last time, I was running on fumes." Tony tapped the reactor, "This time fully charged." Tony gave Steve his best smile and tried to reason and calm Steve's fears but he knew he wasn't doing a very good job. He sucked at this part, and he knew it.

"Tony, I can't do this without you." Steve's voice trembled and Tony saw the man inside the super solider body. He saw the man that fell for Peggy, he saw the man that Dr. Erskine picked. 

Tony took off the helmet and kissed Steve, letting every bit of love he could show through. When they broke apart, Tony kissed Steve's cheek, "I will be back. But if I can't, if something happens. Do not make your own ice. Don't let this," placing his hand over Steve's heart, "freeze you again.”

Steve chocked back a sob, it wasn't very manly to cry, but life was repeating itself in reverse. Now he knew how Peggy felt that day, begging him not to ditch the plane in the water, and they hadn't even been intimate yet. They hadn't had a year to build memories that he knew would only tear him apart each night.

Steve startled when Tony turned and punched the stainless steel counter behind him and shoved everything onto the floor.

"We came to argue about me being a rash showboat with a death wish." Tony offered with a shrug. Swallowing down the emotions overwhelming him, Tony dipped in for one more kiss before he turned and stalked out of the cafe. At the door, faceplate down, he yelled, "So bill me." Then was gone.

"JARVIS, comms to Natasha only please."

"Yes sir,” JARVIS answered immediately. 

"Hey Widow, do me a favor if this goes sideways, keep him from himself. Help him find this Daphne. I think she just might be what he needs, but I'm a selfish bastard and if I'm here, well..."

"Tony what are you planning?" Natasha's head snapped up to see the red and gold streak moving towards the rip in space.

"Not what you're thinking, but I've run the numbers. Just like last time, I don't see very many good alternatives. The bright side is I've got a full battery." 

Over open comms Tony asked Thor, "Anyone I should ask to talk to on the other side, Big guy? Anyone I should uh pledge my undying fealty to?" 

"Speak to Hogun, let it be known that you are my shield brother and you will be well cared for." The sadness in Thor's voice hurt Tony. 

"Legolas keep mean green in stretchy pants. Bruce don't break anything without me."

With that Tony was through the rift and to the astonishment of the rest of the Avengers, the sky whale followed him. Steve stood outside the restaurant and watched his world disappear. He felt like he just watched Bucky fall all over again.

 

Then the rift closed.

 

All of the Avengers looked at Steve, their abject horror for him across their faces. Steve levered himself off the wall and walked towards the quinjet. "Let's go home and wait to hear from Tony." If his voice cracked, if it sounded hollow and broken, no one called him in it.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve finds Daphne again ; In trouble again  
> Daphne meets the team

Three steps from the jet, Steve saw something that made him snap. With a roar of anger and anguish, Steve tore down the alley toward the group of men he'd seen that morning, and a glimpse on white blond hair.

Steve pulled the closest man and threw him up the alley, not bothering to check his strength. The next man's face met his fist, the two after him, a knee and an elbow. Three remained, all fled when Steve heard the rest of the Avengers behind him.

Natasha rushed forward and skirted around the seething super solider toward Daphne. Her hair a tangled mess, her shirt sleeve torn, the rest of her clothes wrinkled and dirty but intact.

“Thor, take the captain back to the tower please." Natasha said reaching out slowly to the cowering figure against the wall. “Steve, go with Thor, let us take care of Daphne." The Russian assuming this was the woman he had been worried about.

"How did you know my name?" 

"I'm friends with Steve."

"The blond with big shoulders?"

Natasha smiled, "Yeah."

"And Tony?"

"Yes and Tony." 

Daphne looked up at Natasha, her voice sounded very sad at the mention of Tony.

"Did something happen to him?"

"We'll talk about when we get you some place safe, and after we calm Steve down okay. Can you walk?"

Daphne nodded and let herself lean against the woman. She should go back to her apartment, but those men knew where she lived. She was afraid they would follow her another day.

When she let the woman guide her to the end of the ally she didn't expect to be turned towards the jet with the back open, two men waiting on the gate. 

She might have lived in a commune until a few months ago, but news of The Avengers had reached it and description of its members. Daphne now understood Steve and Tony's reaction to her. They were Steve Rogers and Tony Stark or Captain America and Iron Man. And she was leaning on Natasha Romanoff, The Black Widow. Guessing the shorter man would be Hawkeye, but she had never heard his real name. That left the other man to be Dr. Banner.

"Why didn't they tell me who they were this morning?" Daphne asked, her voice shivering.

"It's not their way." Natasha explained, but added after she thought for a moment, “Well, it's not Steve's way and everyone knows who Tony is, so he usually doesn't have to worry about it."

Inside the plane Natasha set Daphne in a seat and hooked her belts up while Clint took off. Once in the air it only took two minutes to get them back to the tower, on the roof to where Thor waited. 

He was on the plane the second it landed, helping Daphne out of the web of nylon. Once free, he picked her up and carried her down the stairs to the medical lab Bruce used. The grim look on his face kept Daphne from protesting. He sat her on a cushioned table, trying to give her a smile. Instead she gave him one, in turn he squeezed her hand lightly and left her. Natasha came into the room before Daphne had a chance to worry.

"I grabbed some clothes for you. I had to borrow some of Steve's sweats. Thor and he, are the only ones tall enough for you but Thor doesn't wear them." Natasha set the clothes next to the woman. "Are you all right? Did they hurt you?"

Daphne shook her head. "Just tore my sleeve, uh the tall one pushed me and I scrapped my shoulder on the wall but that was the worst of it." 

Natasha looked over the abrasions on her shoulder, turned grabbing a nearby med kit. She hadn't wanted to take the girl to the hospital, none of the Avengers liked them, but if the group had gotten farther in their attack, they all would have swallowed their distaste and waited with her. Natasha was sure none of them were going to let the girl out on her own anytime soon.

Nat had the wound cleaned and a light bandage over the worst of the scrapes, more to keep the fleece of the sweat shirt she had grabbed from sticking, than for any blood.

“Do we need to call anyone, let them know you're all right?" Nat watched Daphne stop breathing, and go still. She watched all of her muscles go ridged and then relax. "No. Got it. So a last name to go with Daphne?"

"Fredricks." Daphne offered but to Nat's ears it sounded like a desperate answer. 

"Okay Daphne Fredricks, you're going to be staying here a few days. Until we know if its safe for you to go back."

"I don't think they will bother me again." Again Nat heard the lie.

"Maybe not, but I meant the space rift."

"Oh." 

"I'm going to go let Steve know it's all right to come see you. You two can talk while I help JARVIS set up a room for you."

"Which room you prefer Ms. Romanoff?" JARVIS's voice filled the room.

Daphne jerked at the voice all around her.

"I am sorry Ms. Fredricks. I did not mean to startle you. I am Mr. Stark's AI. I run his houses, among other things. If you need anything while you're here, feel free to ask."

Daphne shuttered but nodded.

"The one across from mine I think JARVIS." Nat answered from the doorway. "Steve will be right in."

The moment Natasha was gone, Daphne asked, "JARVIS, are you as smart as I've heard?"

"Depending on which rumor you have heard, probably more."

"Oh, so you know, don't you?"

"Your medical status? Yes ma'am I do. It is not my place to divulge that information without your permission. Unless it was detrimental to Mr. Stark, however I don't not see that as a possibility."

"Oh."

Daphne had dropped off the table and picked up her clothes, looking for a safe place to change.

"I have locked the floor, Ms. Fredricks and informed Captain Rogers that you are changing."

"Thank you." Daphne whispered to the machine. She changed into the shirt quickly enough but was still hesitant to remove her pants. 

"I assure you no one will be allowed on the floor until you are comfortable." JARVIS spoke again. 

Daphne's face was red with embarrassment. She let her pants slip to the floor, kicking off her shoes. Pulling on the sweat pants, Daphne winced as the elastic caught the tip of her small penis. 

She had come to New York to see a specialist about her options for her hermaphroditism. Her parents had moved her and her older brother to a commune when she was two. They thought in a place of free thinking free lovers, she might be accepted and find happiness but the moment her parents had died in a car accident she had been told to leave by her very own brother with all but four of the commune members standing behind him. So she grabbed what she could and stuffed it into a bag and was at a bus stop within an hour. 

Her parents had been afraid of something like this happening. Over the years the people had been changing. Less hippies and more close minded revolutionaries had been coming in. So the very people they had tried to move their daughter away from, had become their next door neighbors. Her parents had had good jobs and when they had sold their house and possessions they had put it all into two accounts. Most they put in only Daphne's name, a second smaller one was left to her brother, the stipulation that if anything happened to Daphne before her fortieth birthday he got nothing. There was also their life insurance policies to add to what she had been left. 

"Are you all right miss?" Jarvis asked softly.

Daphne was brought back to the present and nodded assuming the machine could see her.

"Daphne!" Steve stepped into the glass room a moment later and pulled her into a hug. "I'm glad you're all right." 

Steve stepped back and dropped his hands to his side. He didn't know what to do; take care of Daphne, a woman he knew nothing about or try and find out if there was any way to get to Vannaheim and find news on Tony.

"Thank you. I'm sure you saved my life." She watched Steve swallow down the emotions that crossed his face. "What happened? Where's Tony?"

Steve shook his head, he couldn't answer her. He couldn't talk about Tony, the fear of never seeing his lover again was too much. But she deserved something.

"He went through the rift."

"Is he?" Daphne, didn't know what she was trying to ask.

"I don't know. It closed behind him. We are hoping to hear from some of Thor's friends if he's all right."

"But you want to go look? I'll be fine. I don't need to be watched over." Daphne offered softly. 

"I can't. The rift closed and we don't have way to travel to where he is."

"Oh."

Steve took a deep breath. "Let's see if we can't find a snack or something."

"I'm not really hungry."

"What would you like to do then?" Steve asked trying to keep his voice steady, calm and cheery. Well, two out of three was acceptable, he thought.

"Sleep. I haven't been sleeping well. I'm sure you would like to be with the others while you wait to hear."

Steve tried to laugh, "No honestly I don't. I would probably just pace."

“Captain, perhaps you could show Miss Daphne the tower? Ms. Romanoff was preparing the room across from hers."

Steve nodded. "It might be a good idea. You can go almost anywhere in the tower. If you get lost, ask JARVIS and he'll guide you. This is the medical floor. We tend to get banged up a bit." Steve offered.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A stressed out Steve is apparently a panic attack waiting to happen

For the next hour Steve took Daphne around to the different floors and rooms. He showed her her room, the gym, the common area with the kitchen and video room. He showed her his floor and was happy when she lit up at the site of all the art supplies Tony had been buying him over the last year. There were some he was never going to use, he hoped she would, so they wouldn't go to waste. He tried to talk to her, to find something out about her, but she never gave anything away. He understood being a private person but Daphne seemed almost afraid to answer. Steve noticed she was yawning more and so guided her back to her room. JARVIS, had of course, obtained clothes for Daphne including pajamas, all of which was waiting for her in her room now. Steve asked her to let him know if she needed anything else but was sure she wouldn't.

He tried not to think about Tony, tried to not worry. But now that he didn't have Daphne as a distraction, that was all he could think about. He found himself in Tony's lab. The shirt Tony had been wearing this morning still flung over the back of the couch. He picked it up and couldn't keep himself from breathing in its owners scent.

"It might not be a good idea for you to be alone right now,” Clint said from the door.

Steve laid the shirt back down on the couch, taking the extra time to smooth out all the wrinkles and adjust the collar so it would lay flat before he answered. “Am I really ever alone in a building with an AI, the thousands of people who work here, two spies, a God, and a scientist?"

“Steve, you know Tony asked us to watch out for you." Clint said it as a statement not a question. 

Something snapped inside Steve. He turned and flipped the couch over sending it flying into the glass. "I DON'T NEED TO BE WATCHED!!!" Steve screamed. He wanted to scare Barton, to make him leave, to hear the sound of shattering glass. 

Instead, what he got, was a thud as the couch slid down the metal framed glass and hit the floor and the sound of his own voice echoing through the concrete room. 

As if Steve hadn't done a thing Clint continued, "He was afraid you would pull away. Make your own iceberg this time. And you are. We've been back for almost two hours but you haven't talked to any of us."

"I was showing Daphne around the building."

"Not for that long."

"JARVIS would have told me if there-"

"Steve." 

Clint was in Steve's space and Steve didn't know how he had gotten there. 

"Be angry. Break whatever you want. JARVIS will replace it. Do what you need to, but do not keep this in,” Clint poked Steve in the chest at each point.

Steve's ears were suddenly ringing, and his eyes wouldn't focus. He felt like he was nine again having his first asthma attack. 

"Oh shit, JARVIS get Bruce. I think I broke him." Clint cried out, reaching for Steve who was crumpling before him.

"Dr. Banner is on his way. I believe the captain may have gone into shock." 

"Uh paper bag? Right that's what..crap." On the desk Clint saw one, he rushed over grabbed it up and dumbed out the nuts and bolts, not caring where they scattered.

"Here breathe into this,” Clint ordered, dropping next to the hyperventilating super solider.

Steve felt ashamed that he couldn't calm down, he hadn't felt this scared since he stepped into the serum chamber. He felt so cold, he tried to reach for the blanket from the couch but Clint misunderstood, instead grabbing his hand.

"Agent Barton, his body temperature is much lower than it should be."  
Clint understood now and wrapped the blanket around him. He could feel the warm air flow over his face and guessed JARVIS was raising the temperature of the room.

Bruce rushed in. He dropped down next to Steve and Clint. "I think I broke him trying to fix him." Clint whispered.

"It was bound to happen, too much going on today."

Clint noticed that Steve's breathing was slowing down.

"Thanks JARVIS." Bruce said, that's when Clint noticed he was wearing one of their comms. 

"Let's get him to the bed. I'm sure he's going to crash and hard,” Bruce said. Clint and Bruce got the solider up and to the bed a few feet away. Bruce stepped to the sink and filled a cup with water. He knelt in front of Steve. He had finally gotten his breathing back to normal. "Here, small sips." Bruce suggested. Steve reached a shaking hand out to take the cup. Bruce didn't let go, and helped Steve take a couple of drinks. 

"You are going to be fine." Bruce said. Even though he wasn't that kind of doctor he had been studying more medical and psychology texts because everyone kept coming to him. "It's hard to see it, but it will work out." 

Steve didn't blink, didn't move, just stared at his empty hands.

"Lay back and try to sleep. Maybe we will have news, but either way you will be better able to handle it."

Steve did as Bruce asked, still numb. He felt the blankets pulled around him. He noted the room darken but didn't acknowledge any of it.  
Steve wasn't sure how long he laid there before sleep did take him but it didn't seem like it was as long as it should have been.

When he woke up he didn't know what time it was. There were no windows. "Jarvis?"

"Sir?"

"What time is it?"

"It is 2:34 am."

"I can't believe I slept."

"I may have been the cause of that Sir." JARVIS admitted.

"What did you do?" Steve sat up still feeling groggy.

"Dr. Banner and I agreed that sleep was the best recourse. I have access to certain gasses."

"They left me so you could drug me?" Steve asked.

"Yes." Jarvis answered. 

The tone of the word was hard for Steve to understand. It almost sounded apprehensive. "I'm sure you did it for my own good."

"Yes Sir." Jarvis sounded much more confident. 

Steve's stomach rumbled. "Guess I should find something to eat." 

"I do believe there is some of Thor's spaghetti. He made it in hopes that you would join them for dinner." Jarvis voice followed him into the elevator. 

"I'll have to remember to thank him." Steve said absently.

"They all care for you Captain. They are worried."

Steve nodded. But wasn't he allowed half day to himself? 

"Sir?" Jarvis voice sounded off again, this time with what sounded like fear.

"Yes JARVIS?" Steve asked, the AI had been caring on a conversation with since he woke. Why was he demanding his attention now?

"Sir, its Ms. Fredricks. She seems to be having a night terror. And Ms. Romanoff has left."

Steve raced up the stairs to Tasha's floor. He found Daphne's door unlocked and opened slightly. Inside he heard the soft whimpers of a small child. He stopped at the door, trying to figure out the situation. “Mamma? Where are you?”

Steve knew that was Daphne's voice. 

"Jarvis lights please, just enough to see."

The lights rose 4% and Steve found Daphne in a small corner of the bed, shifting restlessly. He was afraid to startle her, but she kept twisting the sheets around her hand. He sat down next to her, stopping her from doing it again. Her fingers were white and ice cold. Carefully he untangled the sheet from her hand, all the while saying her name softly. 

All of The Avengers had nightmares, each having seen or done horrible things or lost someone close. Even Thor was not safe. Steve had found all of them, one night or another trying to drink away what drove their demons.

Daphne spoke again, but was still in her nightmare. "Daddy, I don't want to be different. I don't want to be like you." The sob in the middle made Steve's heart break. He picked her up and pulled her to his chest. He shushed her and rocked her, she calmed and fell in to a deeper sleep. 

"Jarvis? Is she all right?"

"Yes sir, she is in a deeper sleep."

"Okay." Steve wasn't sure how to shift her now. "If I move will she wake up?”

"I'm not sure sir. I am unfamiliar with her sleep patterns. If she were you or any of the others I would say you were out like a light."

Steve decided to wait to give her a chance to settle in farther.

"Is she all right?" 

"Yes sir."

"That's not what I'm asking. Do you think her nightmare was about abuse?" Steve wondered.

"It was about loss." Daphne mumbled into Steve's shoulder.

"I didn't mean to wake you."

"I learned a long time ago to sleep lightly."

"Jarvis can call Natasha back if you would rather she sit with you."

"Please don't. I feel safe for the first time in months - no, in my life. I don't think you would ever hurt me."

"Why would anyone try to hurt you, Daphne?" Steve kept his voice soft.

"Because I'm different and people don't like different." Daphne tried to hold back the sob, but she just wasn't strong enough, not today, not after the dream of her parents.

Steve tried to not panic at the sobbing woman in his arms, he knew nothing about women and even less about crying ones. "It's all right. I'll keep you safe. We all will."

Daphne's sobs calmed down and the next thing Steve knew, she had squirmed out of his arms and was slamming the bathroom door, before he heard the door lock.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A literal reveal

Steve ran to the door, and knocked "Daphne? What did I say? I'm sorry whatever it was. Daphne?" No sound came from the door. Steve began to worry. "Jarvis what is she doing? Please tell me she's not doing anything..." Steve didn't want to think what the silence could mean. None of his team would try to harm themselves but he didn't know Daphne.

"No Sir she is not. Ms. Fredricks has a medical condition that makes her think what you have said will be a lie."

"Can you tell me JARVIS?"

"No sir. It is her secret until she informs me otherwise. But historically people with her condition have not been treated well."

"Is she sick?"

"No, it is a genetic anomaly."

“Daphne, please come out. You don't have to tell me. But please, no one will hurt you here. The only people who know you are here are people who fight to save the world from people who believe pain and suffering are a way to rule."

Daphne looked down her body; her shacking body, her hard shaking body. In all the years of her life, her penis had never swelled like it had in Steve's lap. She knew what it meant. She had reacted to Steve, his strong arms, his gentle voice, his smell. Daphne panicked and fled before he could notice what a freak she was. "I can't Steve. Please just leave. I promise I will be all right. I promise not to hurt myself. I know that's what you are afraid of."

“Daphne, please open the door. I believe JARVIS but, I need to see you."

Daphne heard the fear in his voice. No one had been afraid for her but her parents. And even then, towards the end she was starting to wonder if her mother was having doubts about raising her. Nothing specific just looks she caught when her mother didn't know she was looking.

Daphne had waited long enough, her penis had wilted down to its three inches again, before walking towards the door. She unlocked it but sat down on the edge of the bath.

Steve carefully opened the door and walked to Daphne. He knelt before her and looked at her.

"People are only ever afraid of me, never for me.”

"I live with the Norse God of Thunder, a man who was exposed to gamma radiation and who when angered can transform into an indestructible monster. I live with two spies, who I am thankful everyday are on my side. My partner is a man who lives with shrapnel in his heart and had to have an electromagnet put in his chest to keep it from killing him. His house is run by a computer smarter than all of the people who work in this building, combined."

"Thank you Sir." Jarvis quipped.

"There is nothing about you that would scare me."

Daphne wanted to tell Steve but she couldn't. Instead she opted for the way she had told her doctor. She stood up walked a few steps further into the bathroom. Turning her back to Steve she let her shirt drop from her shoulders. 

"Daphne no, you don't need to do that." Steve said. He picked up her shirt and wrapped it around her shoulders.

"Yes I do." Daphne shrugged it off. 

Steve stepped away, turning to the side to give her privacy.

"I need you to see Steve. No one believes me until they see." 

Steve could hear the tears in Daphne's voice. He took a deep breath and turned back, but kept his eyes on her neck. He saw he arms move and guessed that her pants had followed the way of her shirt.

She looked over her shoulder. Her arms crossed in front of her groin. She turned, now facing him.

Steve's face was red. He refused to look lower than her eyes. He watched one tear and then another escape. 

"Enough. I don't need to know." Steve grabbed a robe from the hook. He closed his eyes and stepped forward to wrap it around her.

"You are the only person who has never treated me like a freak."

"Daphne, how could anyone think that? You're a beautiful young woman."

"NO. I'M NOT!” Daphne screamed.

"Yes you are."

Daphne grabbed Steve's hand and jerked the robe away. "Women don't have this,” She cried. Steve's eyes followed her hand gesture but he turned around the second they landed on her penis. Being naked and near Steve had made it hard again, so Steve could see both her penis and her labia.

"I told you I was a freak." Daphne cried out crumpling to the floor.  
Steve turned back, pulling the robe over her before picking her up and caring her back to the bed. 

"You're not the first hermaphrodite I've seen. He was just as handsome as you are beautiful."

Daphne tried to turn away from Steve's words. They would be lies like all the others she had heard.

"I took art classes in college. The instructor had a few of us stay after a class. He wanted us to draw a nude model. He said he had picked us because he was sure we would show the model the utmost respect."

Daphne didn't want to listen, but Steve's voices was so soft, his hand was on her back rubbing soft circles. She didn't even know when he had started that.

"The professor brought in a man, about your height and build, tall and willowy. He sat him on the raised platform. Then spent a moment positioning him. We all turned to one another. The class had done nudes before, both men and women. We wondered why we were chosen to draw this man." Steve stopped, remembering the day. "When Mr. Todd moved away we all gasped. The man in front of us was hard, his penis laying against his stomach. That was new, as was the fact that he was bare, not a single hair on his body. But what was truly new, was the glistening lips we saw below his penis.”

"How many rushed from the room screaming?" Daphne asked anger in her voice.

“None, we drew him and thanked him for the opportunity when the class was over."

"No college would ever let you do that without it ending up in the newspaper. I would have heard about it. You're lying." Daphne yelled pulling away. So much false hope.

"It was 1937, Daphne, I was nineteen."

“Liar," Daphne screamed again

"Ms. Fredricks, it is true. Captain Rodgers was born in 1918, given a serum that altered him to his current physique in 1941, then in 1945 he was in a plane crash that saved New York but froze him for nearly 70 years." Jarvis explained.

"You uh can google me." Steve offered.

Daphne broke into hysterical laughter, backing away from Steve. 

"That wasn't the right thing to say." Steve sighed. "I will never understand dames." He mumbled.

Daphne's laughter stopped suddenly. "How can you use a term like Google me but call women dames?"

"I've had to add to my vocabulary but some things stick more than others. I promise everything I said is true. I even still have the drawing.” Steve bolted from the room to his own. He knew where the sketch was, he had seen it a few weeks ago. He had the notebook and was back in Daphne's room before she could think to lock him out. He set a book on the side of the bed she stood on, but stepped back a distance that equaled what she was standing from the bed.

She walked to the bed and flipped open the cover. There was a self-portrait as the first page. She looked at it and then to the man across from her. The face was the same, but this one was healthy, more fleshed out now.

"I was sick as a boy. You name it, I probably had it." Steve explained. 

Daphne turned a few more pages seeing the talent on the yellowing paper. Each had a date, all of them said 1937. He wouldn't have had time to print all of these or fudge all of the dates. When she turned one page she noticed the charcoal on her fingers. 

Then she found it. This one wasn't charcoal but a pencil drawing, more detail going into the page. On the paper was the masculine features of a man, the sculpted pecks of his chest, the tapering hips, the hard cock. Then the soft lips that she saw in the mirror each morning she woke, hoping her life was a cruel nightmare.

"Can I come closer Daphne?" Steve asked, his hand behind him in what she guessed was a parade rest stance. "I promise I won't hurt you, I won't lie to you, and I won't tease you."

Daphne nodded once.

Steve sat down on the bed. "I do know what its like to be different. Not the same as you, but I do know. I was always sick and small. I barely broke five foot. But I couldn't back down when someone started to pick on me. Maybe, I would have been healthier if I had, I might have been able to kick one or two of the illness that plagued me. But it was never in my nature."

Daphne listened while looking at the picture of how he use to look. His cheeks were still chisel sharp but now in a ruggedly handsome way. His face was fuller now, just the tops of his shoulders were in the portrait but even that little she could tell they were broader, wider.

"I don't feel any different about you now than I did before I knew. Except that I know you are much stronger."

"Why because I have a man part?" Daphne tried to keep the bite out of her retort but it didn't work.

"No because you've lived with both your whole life. And other than these last few minutes you have remained sweet and beautiful. And I know what this has been. Tony does it to. It's he's attempt at self-preservation. Hurt them before they hurt you."

Steve tried to blink away the tears that came at the thought of Tony.  
Daphne heard the pain in his voice. She looked over and saw him fighting to not breakdown. She pulled herself across the bed and wrapped her arms around the man.

"I don't know if I'll ever see him again." His voice wavered but stayed strong. "I didn't tell him all the things I wanted to. He left telling everyone to take care of me and I couldn't even tell him I loved him when he kissed me goodbye."

"He'll come back."

"We don't know if he can. The one device that might be able to bring him back is broken."

Steve's stomach chose that moment to sound like a dying whale. Both Steve and Daphne jumped at the sound and laughed.

"I think we should feed you before that tries to eat me." Daphne said pointing to Steve's stomach.

"I missed dinner and I can't afford to do that with my metabolism. Are you hungry yet?"

"Maybe."

"Thor made spaghetti."

"The Norse god made Italian?"

Steve nodded. 

"I'll just uh put on some..." Daphne stepped into the bathroom and pulled her pajamas back on.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve is a conversation troll and Sif shows up with news and Daphne chooses sleep again

Steve waited in the hallway and saw Natasha coming down the hall. He shook his head and waved his hand, enough battles between them had her ducking into a closet just before Daphne came out. She seemed okay but Steve wasn't sure what she would do faced with any of the others right now.

As he walked past he mouthed, "Ask JARVIS."

In the kitchen he found the left overs and warmed everything up. “Martin.”

It was so random she almost missed it, ”What?” Daphne asked.

"The man in the picture, his name was Martin. He was the first person I ever kissed." Steve spoke softly.

Daphne's head jerked up and she was surprised. 

"I kissed one other person just before the plane…" Steve opened the microwave and handed a plate to Daphne. "In the whole of my life I've kissed three people." 

"Where are they?"

"I looked for Martin when I woke in this century. He was killed in a brawl six months after I crashed. Peggy," Steve swallowed down the anguish, "is in a home for Alzheimer's patients. I've seen her a few times but it's hard. Some days she know what happened and some days she's angry at me for standing her up at the Stork Club. We were supposed to go dancing."

Steve shook his head, "And I told you I don't know where Tony is."

Daphne knew that but it was still hard to hear him say.

"Why did you help me yesterday?"

"You fell, you needed help." Steve said as if it was obvious.

"You picked me up, ordered me a new coffee, then all but begged me to let you help me home."

"It is who our Captain is,” a deep voice rumbled behind her.

Steve looked up from Daphne to Thor.

"Lady Daphne,” Thor picked up her had from the counter and kissed it. Steve had seen him do this with Jane a hundred times.

"Thor, Daphne's very shy." 

“Yes, this is a Midgard tradition no longer?"

"He talks like Yoda." 

"Get that one, I do." Steve joked.

Daphne raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Uh I missed a lot of movies. I've had to play catch up."

"He always points it out when he gets a reference." Bruce said ambling by. "I'm just here for tea. I'm out in my room."

JARVIS had told them and they were raiding the kitchen. He excepted Barton and Natasha any second.

Clint had bed head when he came in and his shirt was on backwards, proof he had been asleep. Nat had changed to look like she was just out of bed but Steve knew better. 

They all sat around the breakfast bar eating or drinking. It wasn't long and the sun started to rise. 

"What is broken that you can't get Tony home?" Daphne thought to ask.

"The Bifrost, a bridge that transports one through the worlds," Thor answered. "I broke it some time ago to save another planet from my brother."

"Can we not talk about Loki please, Thor. I still have to go back to sleep at some point." Clint asked his head hanging inches from his bowl of ice cream.

"I am sorry." Thor said setting a hand on Clint's shoulder. It weighted the man down enough his hair dipped into the melted mess.

Daphne giggled and Natasha snorted. Clint jerked up and flicked ice cream all over Bruce's face. Bruce was startled by the face full cold and spilt his hot tea over the counter which ended up in Steve's lap. Steve jerked away and knocked his milk over in to Thor's lap. The only ones to come away unscathed were the girls, who were out right laughing now.

"Captain Rogers?" Jarvis spoke over the laughter, "Thor."

"Yes JARVIS." Steve asked.

"There is a Lady Sif on the roof asking for you."

Everyone scrabbled out of the room, leaving a confused Daphne. Thor returned and picked her carrying her to the roof. She tried to ask, demand even, that he put her down but he didn't hear her. At the roof, he finally explained, "She surly comes baring news of Anthony."

He set her to her feet next to Steve and clasped arms with a dark haired woman in strange armor. 

"Do you have news?" Thor asked.

"I do. He is in Vannaheim. He was not injured. There was a moment we feared he could not be freed from his from his battle armor but he awoke and was able to shed it himself. He says to tell you,” looking at Steve directly “that, 'reentry is still a bitch'." 

"How did you get here Lady Sif?" Steve asked.

"The Bifrost has been repaired to the point we can travel to here and back. Alfather thinks mayhap a fortnight before it will be repair to travel to Vannaheim."

"How can Tony send a message?" Steve was confused but glad for what little he had.

“Heimdall," Thor answered, "He sees all. He will know what you have said here."

Daphne shuddered next to Steve. Someone who knew her secret?

"And I have another for Lady Daphne?" Sif spoke again.

Steve patted Daphne's arm. 

"You are the Lady Daphne?” Sif asked, when Daphne only nodded yes, Sif continued. "He asks that you keep Captain Rogers warm and safe while he is away. That you keep him distracted from the ice." Sif spoke words she did not understand.

"Is it possible to get a message back to Tony?" Steve asked.

"Yes." 

"Just tell him I've had enough ice for more life times than we have."

Sif nodded. "He will be told."

"Thank you sister for coming. You have brought joy to our new day. Come let us break our fast together." Thor patted the woman on the back, a smile showing on his entire face.

"I will be glad to share in your joy. Come tell me of the Lady Jane? How is she? The healers ask of her often." The pair walked down the stairs arm in arm.

"This is the strangest morning I've ever had." Daphne said aloud.

"Pretty normal around here actually." Bruce offered up. "I don't know about the rest of you but I'm going to bed." Natasha and Clint made sounds of agreement, the trio disappeared as well.

"Two weeks. I can do that." Steve spoke to the sky. "Heimdall, thank you. Please let us know if anything happens." Steve saw a strange shimmer that reminded him of a rainbow but it was gone before he knew for certain he'd seen anything.

"So Lady Daphne, to break fast with two Nordic Gods or to bed?" Steve asked. 

"To bed please. I haven't slept well since my parents died four months ago."

"Sleep it is." Steve wanted to ask about her parents but knew it would be better to wait. He took her hand and started to walk but stopped when she didn't follow.

"Can I ask a favor?"

"Sure."

Daphne took a deep breath and said, "Can I sleep with you? I don't want to be alone."

Steve's gut reaction was to say no. But something told him that was the wrong answer, that was part of what Tony's messages meant. "Come on. My bed isn't very comfortable. Tony's is fit for a spoiled king." 

Daphne laughed, "Why do I think you would say that if he was standing right here?"

"Because I would."


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fair Warning: Almost smut  
> and implied consent by not saying fuck off... I know that's bad but that about all she knows about consent at this stage

In Tony's room Steve put Daphne on his own side of the bed. Steve knew he would need the scent of Tony to be able to go to sleep. The pair dropped off quickly but during their slumber they turned to one another. 

Hours later, Daphne woke for the first time in her life, to arms wrapped around her; her body fitting into the curve of another. She stiffened and tried to figure out how to move away.

"Don't please. Just let me hold you." Steve's voice ruffled her hair.

"But Tony?"

Steve smiled into Daphne's hair. "Tony has been pushing me towards you since the second I saw you. And if he was here I'm sure he would be wrapped around you to."

"I find that hard to believe." 

"Tony is an exhibitionist. He loves to do whatever will shock someone. But he would want to be with you for you, not any sort of novelty or anything like that."

"Are you trying to ask me to be in a threesome?" Daphne asked.

"No, I'm asking you not pull away from me so that my arms don't feel so empty. You feel as right in my arms as Tony does. I think maybe he's rubbing off on me. I don't want to let either of you go."

"Maybe I don't want to be held?" Daphne asked.

"Then I'll be only half here. I think in one day I've already fallen in love with you." Steve whispered.

"You know nothing about me. You can't love me."

"Maybe not but I felt this way about Tony and Peggy."

"What about Martin?" The anger could be heard in Daphne's voice.

Steve sighed, choosing to ignore Daphne's prickles, “Martin kissed me out of pity. He knew it was likely I'd never get to kiss anyone. He kissed me behind a diner on fifty-third, left me gasping for air and walked away. I will always remember him and even kind of love him the way you do someone you had your first kiss with."

"I wouldn't know."

"No one's ever kissed you?"

Daphne traced Steve's arm until she found his hand, she slid it down her body until it cupped her semi-erect cock. "No one wants to kiss me."

"I do."

Daphne shivered.

"Then I will wait until you want to kiss me." Steve settled for kissing her hair. 

What Steve didn't know was she already wanted to. She was 24 and had never been kissed, never been danced with, never been hugged by someone not a parent. She was sure her brother had never hugged her or loved her. He had hated her for making their parents move him away from his friends and live in the commune.

Steve, Natasha and Thor were the first people to touch her. Steve hadn't moved his hand from where she had placed it. He felt the warmth of her cock, a twitch every once in a while.

"Daphne Marie Miller."

"Thank you." Steve murmured into Daphne's hair. 

"I was born here. They didn't know before I was born...well." Daphne's chest constricted, if they had, would she have even been born? "My parents tried to live here, to keep working. But the people that they worked with started to treat them differently. They had made me, so there must have been something wrong with them to."

Steve nuzzled Daphne's neck, as she had spoke, Steve had slowly brushed her hair aside. He really was turning into Tony. Steve should have been giving her her space. Letting her come to him, but she felt so wonderful in his arms, he was having a hard time pushing her away.

"When I was two, they sold everything they had, moved to a hippie commune in Pennsylvania."

Steve frowned, "Hippie?"

Daphne started at the confusion in Steve's voice.

"Sir it is a term used for people of the 1960's and 1970's who pushed the social boundaries regarding love and relationships. I will be more than happy to add that to your list."

"Thanks JARVIS."

"You really are from the 1940's?"

"Mmmhmm." Steve mumbled, he couldn't pull himself away from her neck. Daphne's cock was growing filling his hand. He was glad he had rolled his hips so that his own cock was pressing into the mattress not her soft ass cheeks. 

Daphne shook her head and continued with her tail. "They thought if they lived with free thinkers, free lovers, I might find a lover. Might grow up happy. But the world kept changing. More people came who just wanted to get away from the government, than people who wanted to explore themselves. Everyone knew who I was, what I am."

Steve caressed Daphne's cock, it had started to soften as she told her story. He wanted her to feel good.

There was a catch in her voice this time, "There were social gatherings. Dances and things, but I was never asked to dance. Few people talked to me. I wanted to know what it would be like." Her voice was trembling now, but Steve was sure it wasn't from tears, she had started to move against his hand, he shifted, pulling her into his body but not so close she would feel him yet. "I wouldn't have been picky." She whispered. "I wouldn't have cared if it had been one of the boys or one of the girls. Even if it had been a novelty thing. I would have known what it was like to slip into someone, to have someone slip into me."

Steve felt the rush of liquid in his hand the same time he felt it on his thigh. 

"Will you let me make you feel good?" Steve asked.

"Hhh how?"

"I think I just want to touch you." Steve shifted again this time pulling her onto his chest as he rolled into his back. There were enough pillows behind him he was raised up and could see her body.

Between her raised nipples was a very pretty five inch cock, red and weeping. "You're not circumcised." Steve commented. He felt Daphne shake her head on his chest. 

"They didn't think it was a good idea."

"What do you like?" Steve asked softly, his hand following what he preferred but that might not be what felt best for Daphne.

"I doon't kkknnnow." Daphne's voice was quiver and she couldn't keep from shuddering.

"You've never touched yourself?"

Daphne only shook her head.

Steve slipped his other hand down her body and pressed her clit, "What about here?" 

Again only a head shake.

"You've never felt an orgasm? Tony's going to kill me."

"Whhhy?" Her voice almost nonexistent now.

"Because I doubt I can keep my hand off of you for two weeks."

"Captain I truly hate to do this but Directory Fury is here and trying to bypass my protocols. He will be here in just a few moments. Ms. Daphne I am so sorry. "

Daphne jolted out of the sexual haze and rolled away from Steve, rushed into the bathroom. 

Steve wanted to growl and rage at Fury's exceptionally bad timing. Instead he got up and calmed himself. "JARVIS?"

"Yes Sir?

"Is Fury coming to this floor?"

"So it would appear."

"Crap. Why would he come to Tony's floor? He's got to know Tony's in Vannaheim by now."

Steve looked down and decided to change into jeans. "I'll try to get him to the kitchen. If I do let Daphne know so she can go to her room. I'll meet her there as soon as I can."

Steve made it to the kitchen before Fury did. He grabbed a random cup as an excuse for being here. He wasn't going to tell Fury about them without Tony being there.

It was less than a minute till the man strode into Tony's room. "So that show at the souls food restaurant?"

"Me trying to talk Tony into not doing what he did?"

"You mean the place Romanoff gave you to say goodbye?"

"And you would think that why?" Steve asked his stance falling into parade rest out of habit. 

"I still have sources. How long?"

"None of your business,” Steve standing at full attention, "Our lives," was all the explanation he gave.

"If Stark so much as-"

"We are grown men Fury. We can do whatever we like within the confines of the law. I realize Tony pushes that a bit." Steve interrupted Fury and was rewarded with a half a lean back and an eyebrow twitch. 

"We need you to keep sight of what-"

Steve interrupted again, "You need to leave Nick. My life. I've had enough of people trying to live it for me."

Fury whirled, his coat fanning out around him, "Just remember the world still needs you Cap."

Steve very carefully set the mug down on the counter so he didn't give into the urge to hurl it at the door Fury had just left through. He braced his weight against the counter and counted up until he felt calmer. He let out a breath he had apparently been holding and only jerked lightly at the feel of slim fingers rolling over his shoulders. 

"Maybe I should go? He's your boss. I won't cause any problems for you."

Steve turned and pulled Daphne into his arms. "Don't. He's not my boss. Just stay. I've never been very good at taking what I need. Or even asking. But I need you, I don't know why or how but I need to be able to pull you in like this and hold you."


End file.
